South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo reads a statement to the nation at the Government Complex in Seoul on Thursday. South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party has submitted an impeachment motion against him. Yonhap/EPA-EFE
Dec. 26 (UPI) — South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party submitted an impeachment motion against embattled acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday in the latest challenge to the country’s leadership structure.
Han had refused to fill positions in the Constitutional Court until the country’s opposition political parties made compromises with his government. The opposition parties, which have control of the National Assembly, want Han to appoint three judicial nominees they have approved.
“It is the consistent spirit of our Constitution and laws that the acting president refrain from exercising the vital and exclusive authority of the president, including appointments to constitutional institutions,” Han said in Seoul on Thursday, according to Yonhap News.
“Once the ruling and opposition parties submit an agreed-upon measure, I will immediately appoint the Constitutional Court justices.”
The Democratic Party, however, has railed about Han’s inaction over the court appointments.
“Han has revealed himself to be an acting insurrectionist, not an acting president,” Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party’s floor leader said, according to BBC News.
“We’re clearly warned that it’s totally up to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo whether he would go down in history as a disgraceful figure, as a puppet of rebellion plot leader Yoon Suk Yeol, or a public servant that has faithfully carried out the orders by the public.”
Yoon was impeached as president by South Korean legislators Dec. 14 after he declared martial law when he could not reach a political agreement with his opponents.